Piston engine operable as pump or motor



Sept. 24, 1963 Filed Aug. 3, 1961 s. HOLDENER 3,104,618 PISTON ENGINEOPERABLE AS PUMP OR MOTOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 53 III ["2 3! 54 LE 1-H 'LT P1963 s. HOLDENER 3,104,618

' PISTON ENGINE OPERABLE AS PUMP on MOTOR Filed Aug. 3, 1961 5Sheets-Sheet 2' Sept. 24, 1963 s. HOLDENER 3,104,613

PISTON ENGINE OPERABLE AS PUMP OR MOTOR I Filed Aug. 5, 1961 5Sheets-Sheet 3 Joye/72273 Z fizhzeoa 772/420 JMM p 1 I s. HOLDENER3,104,618

PISTON ENGINE OPERABLE AS PUMP OR MOTOR Filed Aug. 3, 1961 5Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig.4

United States Patent 3,184,618 PISTON ENGENE OPERAELE AS PUW OR MOTORSimeon Hoidener, 3 Postgasse, Wolfhansen, Zurich, Switzerland Filed Aug.3, 1961, Ser. No. 129,880 Claims priority, application Switzerland Aug.5, 1960 8 Claims. (Cl. 103-163) This invention relates to a piston orreciprocating engines operable as pumps or motors, of the type having atleast one eccentric-driven piston and automatically controlled shutteropenings for the admission and discharge of the pressure medium.

It is an object of the invention to provide a simplified, compact typeof construction of a piston engine of the mentioned kind, in which thepiston carried by an eccentric is prismatic, mounted between stationarylateral plates and enclosed by a frame in which it is movably guided,while the frame is movable within the housing at right angles to thedirection of movement of the piston, the shutter openings beingautomatically controlled by the movement of the piston and the frame andlocated in at least one of the lateral plates.

The present invention will now be described in more detail withreference to the accompanying drawings illustrating, by way of example apreferred embodiment of the invention, and in which:

FIGURE 1 shows an axial section through the machine,

FIGURE 2 is a transverse section along the line II-II of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a transverse section along the line IIIIII of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is a section taken on lines IV-IV of FIG- URES 2, 3 and 5, and

FIGURE 5 shows a cross-section along the line V-V of FIGURE 1.

A drive shaft 4, one end of which is provided with an eccentric pin 5,is supported by a ball bearing 2 and a needle bearing 3 Within a bore ofthe main portion 1 of a casing. Four elongate grooves 6, 7, 8, 9(FIGURES 1 and 2) are provided in the depressed inner front wall of thecasing portion 1. Abutting against this front wall is a lateral disc orplate 10 of circular shape, in which four shutter openings or controlports 11, 12, 13, 14 are formed as rectangular slots. The lateral plate10 is further provided with four bores 15, 16, 17, 18 which are each inalignment with one end of the four longitudinal grooves 6, 7, 8 and 9.The ends of four passage tubes 19, 2d, 21, 22 are inserted each in oneof the bores 15 16, 17 and 18, respectively, of the plate 10 (FIGURES 2,3 and 4). Four spacer sleeves 23, 24, 25, 27 surround the tubes 19, 29,21, 22 between the outer lateral plate 10 and an intermediate plate 27which is provided with bores for the passage of the tubes 19, 20, 21 and22. Two screw bolts 28, 29 are screwed into the main portion 1 of thecasing, which bolts extend through the lateral plate 10 into the spacebetween the plate 10 and the plate 27 and carry cylindrical guidesleeves 32, 33 by means of needle bearings 30, 31. Two guiding forks 34,35 of a frame 36 having a rectangular opening, engage over these sleeves32 and 33. This frame 36 is ground plane on both sides to such athickness, that it can move back and forth with the required clearancebetween the two plates 10 and 27 which are spaced apart a precisedistance by the spacer sleeves 23, 24, 25 and 26. The frame 36 is soshaped as to have the lowest possible oscillating mass, for example itssection is of U-shape as shown. A piston 37 is located within therectangular opening of the frame 36 and is ground to precisely the samethickness as the frame 36 and adapted to slide up and down in thelatter. The

piston 37 is provided with a central bore, into which a needle rollerbearing 38 is inserted, serving as support for the piston 37 mounted onthe eccentric pin 5 of the drive shaft 4. In proximity to the shutteropenings 11, 12, 13 and 14, the piston 37 is provided with four recesses39, 40, 41 and 42 which act to facilitate the admission and discharge ofpressure medium when the piston is in the terminal positions of itsstroke.

Spacer sleeves 44, 45, 46, 47 are mounted on the tubes 19, 20, 21 22 anddisposed between the intermediate plate 27 and an outer lateral plate 43situated opposite the lateral plate 14]. The lateral plate 43 abutsagainst the inner side of a cover member 48 in which two bolts 49, 50are screwed, said bolts passing through the lateral plate 43 andcarrying by means of needle bearings 51, 52 cylindrical guide sleeves53, 54 provided in the space between the lateral plate 43 and theintermediate plate 27. Two guide forks 55, 56 of a frame 57 having arectangular opening engage over these sleeves 53 and 54 (FIGURE 3).Owing to the guiding action along the sleeves 53, 54 this frame 57 ismovable in upward and downward direction between the plates 27, 43 andhas a cross-sectional shape similar to that of the frame 36. A prismaticpiston 58 of precisely the same thickness as the frame 57 is guided inthe rectangular opening of the frame 57 so as to be movable to and fro.In the central bore of the piston 58 a needle bearing 59 is located, bymeans of which the piston 58 is mounted on the eccentric pin 5 of thedriving shaft 4. On its four corners the piston 58 is provided withrecesses 60, 61, 62, 63 which serve to facilitate the admission and thedischarge of the pressure medium in the end positions of the piston. Inthe circular lateral plate 43 four shutter openings 64, 65, 66, 67 areformed as rectangular slots. The lateral plate 43, moreover, is providedwith four bores 68, 69, 70, 71, into which the right-hand ends of thepassage tubes 19, 20, 21, 22 are inserted (FIGURE 4). The cover member48 is urged against the main part 1 of the case by means of four screws72 and nuts 73, whereby the three lateral plates 10, 27 and 43 and theparts disposed between the latter are held together. On the internalside of the cover member 48 longitudinal grooves 74, 75, 76, 77 areformed, which on one end are connected to the shutter openings 64, 65,66, 67, while into the other end thereof the axial bores 78, 79, 88, 81are opening and leading to the radial bores 82, 83, 84 and 85.Additional axial bores 86, 87, 88, 89 lead from the four bores 68, 69,70, 71 of the lateral plate 43 to radial bores 90, 91, 92 and 93. Theradial bores 82, 84 and 91, 93 are located in one plane and areconnected to a common central distribution chamber 94 (FIG. 5). Theremaining radial bores 81, 83, 90, 92 are situated in another planeaxially spaced from the first plane and connected to an additionalcentral distribution chamber 95. Inlet and discharge connections, bymeans of which the pressure medium is admitted and discharged, areprovided for the two distribution chambers 94 and 95 at the front end orat the circumference of the casing member 48.

When it is assumed, that the described piston engine operates as pumpand the eccentric pin 5 rotates in counter-clockwise direction from itsuppermost position shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, the piston 37together with the frame 36 then moves to the left. Simultaneously, thepiston 37 contained within the frame 36 moves downwardly from itsuppermost position. The hollow space, provided between the lowercircumferential surface of the piston 37 and the lower internal surfaceof the frame 36 is thereby reduced and the pressure medium contained inthis hollow space is urged through the shutter opening 12, graduallyreleased by the frame 36, of the intermediate plate 10 and forced intothe longitudinal groove 7 of the casing member 1 and then caused to flowfrom this longitudinal groove 7 through the bore 16 of the intermediateplate 10, the tube 20, the axial bore 87, the radial bore 91 and intothe distribution chamber 94. At the same time a cavity of increasingvolume is produced above the upper circumferential surface of thepiston, this cavity communicating with the longitudinal groove 6 bymeans of the gradually released shutter opening 11, so that pressuremedium is drawn from the distribution chamber 95 and delivered into thesaid cavity through the bore 15, the passage tube 19, the axial bore 86and the radial bore 90.

As will be seen from FIGURE 3, in the uppermost position of theeccentric pin the second frame 57 also occupies its uppermost position,while the piston 58 assumes an intermediate position within the frame57. Since the eccentric pin 5 in FIGURE 2 rotates in counterclockwisedirection, it thus rotates in FIGURE 3 in clockwise direction and theright-hand cylinder space between piston 58 and frame 57 will bereduced, so that pressure medium is forced into the distribution chamber$4 by Way of the shutter opening 64 provided in the intermediate plate43, the longitudinal groove 74 in the cover member 48, the axial bore'78 and the radial bore 82. The left-hand cylinder space simultaneouslyis increased and pressure medium is drawn into the latter from thedistribution chamber 95 by means of the radial bore 85, the axial bore81, the longitudinal groove 77 and the shutter opening 67.

After a quarter of a revolution the frame 36 (FIG- URE 2) occupies itsleft-hand end position and the piston 37 assumes the middle position inthe frame 36. The two shutter openings 11 and 12 are completely opened.Moreover, the second frame 57 (FIGURE 3) occupies an intermediateposition, while the piston 58 is in its right-hand end position, inwhich the left-hand cylinder space equals zero and the right-handcylinder space is a maximum. In this middle position of the frame 57 allfour shutter openings 64-, 65, 66, 67 of the intermediate plate 43,controlled by said frame, are covered by the frame 57. When theeccentric pin 5 continues its rotation, the right-hand cylinder spacebecomes enlarged and pressure medium is drawn into the latter from thedistribution chamber 95 through the bores 83, 79, the longitudinalgroove 75 and the shutter opening 65. Furthermore, the left-handcylinder space is decreased and pressure medium is fed tln'ough theshutter opening 66, the

longitudinal groove 76 and the ducts 8t), 84 and delivered 7 to thedistribution chamber 94. When the rotary movement is continued, theremaining shutter openings are controlled in similar manner. Acontinuous pump stream results from the fact that the two pistons 37 and58 operate in a manner displaced from each other through 90".

The engine could also have only one piston and frame, in which case,however, a pulsating pump stream would result.

Furthermore, the described piston engine may also be operated as a motorinstead of as a pump.

I claim:

1. A reciprocating machine operable as a pump or as a motor, comprising,a casing, a shaft journalled in said casing, said shaft having aneccentric pin thereon, a pair of prismatic pistons substantiallyidentical in form and size and spaced from one another in side-by-siderelation, said pistons being operatively connected to said pin foractuation thereby, a pair of frame members one surrounding each of saidpistons respectively for guiding the same through linear reciprocatingmovement relative to said.

of said pistons and a corresponding one of a pair of ad-. jacent Wallsof said casing, said side plates having control inlet and outlet portsadapted to be opened and closed tive to their corresponding framemembers.

automatically by movement of said pistons and frame members relative tosaid side plates, and ducts for-med in said adjacent side walls of saidcasing and communicating with said inlet and outlet ports.

2. A reciprocating machine as in claim 1 wherein said frame members areprovided with guide forks and said casing is provided with correspondingguide bolts adapted to cooperate with said forks to guide said framemembers along respective linear paths.

3. A reciprocating machine as in claim 1 wherein said frame members aresubstantially channel shaped in cross 1 section so 'as to reduce theweight thereof.

4. A reciprocating machine as in claim 1 wherein said pistons areprovided with recesses in proximity to the corresponding control portsin said side plates so as to facilitate the admission and discharge of apressure medium when said pistons are disposed in end positions rela-'5. A reciprocating machineas in claim 1 adjacent side Walls of saidcasing in communication with said control ports and with said ducts topermit admission and discharge of a pressure medium.

6. A reciprocating machine as in claim 5 wherein a plurality of tubesare provided for connecting the longitudinal grooves provided in one ofsaid casing side walls to ducts provided in the other of said casingside walls for the admission and discharge of a pressure medium.

7. A reciprocating machine as in claim 6 wherein sleeves are mounted onsaid tubes so as to be disposed between said intermediate plate and saidside plates to control the spacing therebetween.

8. A reciprocating machine as in claim 1 including a pair of axiallyspaced distribution chambers having inletand discharge connections, saidchambers being connected to said ducts for admission and discharge of apressure medium.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS968,126 Clark Aug. 23, 1910 1,410,129 Saussard. Mar. 21, 1922 2,258,379Estey Oct. 7, 1941.

wherein lon- I gitudinal grooves are provided on the inner side of said

1. A RECIPROCATING MACHINE OPERABLE AS A PUMP OR AS A MOTOR, COMPRISING,A CASING, A SHAFT JOURNALLED IN SAID CASING, SAID SHAFT HAVING ANECCENTRIC PIN THEREON, A PAIR OF PRISMATIC PISTONS SUBSTANTIALLYIDENTICAL IN FORM AND SIZE AND SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER IN SIDE-BY-SIDERELATION, SAID PISTONS BEING OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID PIN FORACTUATION THEREBY, A PAIR OF FRAME MEMBERS ONE SURROUNDING EACH OF SAIDPISTONS RESPECTIVELY FOR GUIDING THE SAME THROUGH LINEAR RECIPROCATINGMOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME, SAID FRAME MEMBERS BEING MOUNTED INSAID CASING FOR LINEAR MOVEMENT IN RESPECTIVE DIRECTIONS DISPOSED AT 90*FROM ONE ANOTHER AND EACH OF SAID PISTONS BEING ADAPTED TO RECIPROCATERELATIVE TO ITS RESPECTIVE FRAME MEMBER IN A DIRECTION DISPOSED AT 90*FROM THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID FRAME MEMBER, AN INTERMEDIATEPLATE ARRANGED BETWEEN SAID PAIR OF PISTONS AND FRAME MEMBERS, A PAIR OFSIDE PLATES EACH ARRANGED RESPECTIVELY BETWEEN THE OUTER SIDE OF ACORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID PISTONS AND A CORRESPONDING ONE OF A PAIR OFADJACENT WALLS OF SAID CASING, SAID SIDE PLATES HAVING CONTROL INLET ANDOUTLET PORTS ADAPTED TO BE OPENED AND CLOSED